Hinterland Festival returns to Kells, Co Meath, from 25-28 June with more than 70 events across literature, history, music, comedy and family fun. This year’s lineup includes Kirsty Wark, Larry Lamb, Liz Nugent, Katriona O’Sullivan, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, plus a dedicated children’s programme and the popular Sunday Lit Crawl. With talk and performances across the town, there’s plenty to dip into. One standout highlight features a talk on the 1926 census on 27 June at 10.30am at the Church of Ireland on The Jane Barrett Stage.

In April, the first census of the Irish Free State was publicly released by the National Archives. Its director, Orlaith McBride, of The Story of Us: Independent Ireland, will be available to answer questions on the 1926 census with contributor Gregory Walls. See hinterland.ie

Irish skincare brand Pestle & Mortar has launched Pore Reset Pads (€30), a new exfoliating treatment designed for skin that feels congested, dull or uneven. Used two to three evenings a week after cleansing, the dual-textured pads contain lactic, glycolic and salicylic acids to smooth and refine, with Centella Asiatica included to help keep things calm. A handy one for anyone who likes skincare that feels straightforward. See pestleandmortar.com

This powerful debut novel brings to life the untold story of Irish nun Sister Kate McCarthy, who was interned in Ravensbrück Concentration

Camp during World War II. The novel is based on real events and follows the harrowing journey of Sister Kate as she faces her greatest test yet, alongside her closest allies, Sylvette and Angèle. The story is a testament to Sister Kate’s extraordinary courage, faith, and the bonds of women in wartime. It is a tale of hope, resilience, and the enduring spirit of one nun who defied the Nazis.The Nun of Ravensbrück by Cathi Fleming is published by Hachette Books Ireland, €18.50.

Billy Fogarty’s Haggard by Edmund Slattery, Raheen, Cahir, Co Tipperary

O! Ancient hedgerow no reprieve for you

Yellow, that giant machine with pincer jaws

Tracks silently and slowly into view

As direct to your still

presence it draws

You, proud defender of that sacred ground

Sweet orchard and fertile garden plot

Empowering many a

seasonal mood

Guardian of thought and talk distilled or not,

Last remnant of the farmstead’s

patchwork fields

Luxuriant in your

autumnal hues

Ghost birds shriek away, your resistance yields

For such great loss, so small a gain to view.

I wonder now how Billy would complain

To see his precious haggard so brutally slain.

Do you have a piece of poetry inspired by the countryside and farming? Please send in your best work for consideration for the weekly Poetry Corner. We’re looking for short poems that captivate, inspire and reflect the landscapes, traditions, and culture of rural Ireland in the past or the present. About 200 words or so is the ideal length. Please send your poetry to icl@farmersjournal.ie or post to Irish Country Living, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.